


Say WHAT?!

by orphan_account



Series: HYDRA verse [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Computers, Confusion, Humor, Hydra (Marvel), Not Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, SHIELD, Soul-Searching, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-07-26
Packaged: 2018-04-02 07:19:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4051216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What was everyone's reactions to Captain America's decision to join HYDRA?  Because, seriously, it wasn't exactly something anyone expected.  Least of all the people of HYDRA.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rumlow (And STRIKE)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bubblewrapstargirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubblewrapstargirl/gifts).



> This was written entirely because of bubblewrapstargirl, who asked what people's reaction to Steve as HYDRA was in my story Surprise Gifts. Now, this doesn't fit into the main story, but I can do these outtakes when I'm stuck on the main part. Most of these will take place between chapters 3 and 15 of Surprise Gifts.

Brock Rumlow kept his sunglasses on as he entered the Triskelion. He really didn’t want to go to work today, and he could only pray that there weren’t any missions. His head hurt too much. 

He really, really shouldn’t have opened that bottle of Jack last night, but honestly, he’d needed it. Needed it. 

He’d succeeded. When Pierce had told him to try to recruit Steve Rogers- Captain America!- he’d thought it was a joke. He’d done it anyway, because a job was a job, but he’d thought it would end up with Rogers stuck in the same chair they used for the Asset.

But no. Rogers had joined HYDRA. He’d actually joined HYDRA. Rumlow wasn’t sure if he was insane, Pierce was insane, or Rogers was insane. Or if all three of them were nucking futs. 

But Captain America was now a member of HYDRA. 

Jack Rollins looked at him sharply as he got on the elevator. “Are you alright?” he asked loudly.

Rumlow winced. “I’m fine,” he said. “Just…”

“Why are you hung over?” Rollins asked.

Rumlow sighed. “Had an interesting day yesterday. Needed a drink.”

“More than one, it looks like. What happened?”

They exited the elevator and headed to the room they were meeting the STRIKE team in. Rumlow really hoped today would be low-key.

He heard a footstep behind them, and turned to look. Rogers was heading down the hall, still several feet away, but he looked to be in a good mood. He was in a training uniform, which told Rumlow that they weren’t likely to be going on a mission.

“Rumlow?” Rogers asked. “What happened?”

Rumlow glared at him. “You know very well what happened,” he said. “I needed a drink after yesterday.”

Rogers smiled ruefully. “I… can understand that. Wish I could have had a drink, too. Or that it would have mattered.”

Rumlow stared at him. “Are you…”

“As weirded out by this as you are?” Rogers asked.

Rumlow nodded- once, and then stopped. It hurt.

“Yeah, probably,” Rogers said. He glanced at Rollins. “Can we… um…?” he rolled his eyes. 

“Let’s just get to the briefing room,” Rumlow said.

Rogers looked amused as the three of them entered, Rumlow wincing at the bright light, Rollins glancing back and forth between the two of them.

Rumlow sighed. “Cap, before we start the briefing, I’ve got something to say to the team. And some things you need to know.”

Rogers nodded. “Go ahead, Agent,” he said. 

Rumlow glanced at his team, then at Rogers. “Yesterday, Secretary Pierce, Captain Rogers and I met. Captain Rogers…” he paused, took a deep breath, and continued. “Captain Rogers agreed with us,” he said. He flipped a switch underneath his seat. No one who wasn’t HYDRA would be able to listen in. “Captain Rogers has joined HYDRA. Cap, everyone on the team is HYDRA as well.”

For one moment, the room was silent, before the uproar began.

Rumlow winced. The noise was really hurting his head. But… what did he expect?

Rogers leaned against the wall.

Finally, Rumlow braced himself and whistled loudly. “We have work to do!”

Rogers shook his head. “Agent Rumlow is right,” he said. “Now…” he glanced around at the team. “I think we’ve all had a shock, but let’s just work through it today. And… I think we all have questions. Let’s wait until after we’re done for the day.”

Rumlow nodded. “We’ll meet at my place at 1900, and just… talk.”

Rogers sighed. Rumlow glared at him. This was his fault, anyway!


	2. Pierce

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one isn't nearly as funny, but it's actually somewhat important.

Alexander Pierce was doing his damnedest not to whistle as he headed out for the night.

He’d won. He’d done it. He signed up the best possible asset for HYDRA. Captain America! He’d never have believed that he’d get the man of his own free will, but there he was. 

It hadn’t even taken all that much to convince the man. That, if anything, told Pierce how much Rogers was floundering in this time.

Well, HYDRA would use that. Pierce smiled again. Both successful super soldiers were now working for HYDRA. The things they could do with two operatives like that.

He paused and thought. Actually, this was the perfect opportunity to gain Barnes’ loyalty without resorting to the chair again. He knew he’d told Rogers that he might partner with the Winter Soldier, but that didn’t mean it would actually happen.

Pierce grin turned shark like. If they could actually get Barnes on their side without using the chair, things would be even better.

Barnes was hard to control, as he was, but maybe that could change. Rogers would help with that.

Pierce thought for a moment about Zola, and Schmitt, and all the other HYDRA leaders. None of them had ever managed what he had done, bringing their greatest enemy to their side.

He was, perhaps, going to go down in history as the greatest leader HYDRA ever had. And HYDRA would triumph, now. With Captain America, they couldn’t help but win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah. Pierce’s POV makes me feel a bit slimy, and he definitely died too easily in canon. But… here he is, with all his slimy, self-glorifying, evil musing. Of course he’d take Steve’s joining as a personal success.


	3. Sitwell

Jasper Sitwell sighed as he met the eyes of another SHIELD/HYDRA agent. The woman was smirking, and looked like Christmas had come early. “You meet the new guy yet, Jasper?”

Jasper shook his head. “Who is it?” he asked. “You’re the fourth or fifth person to ask me, Mary.

Mary just grinned. “Oh, I’m not spoiling that surprise. He’s down in the private gym right now. He and Rumlow’s team are working through some scenarios.”

Jasper was curious, and he wondered just who could make so many people giddy or stunned or smug like that. Fury might do that, except Jasper thought that Pierce wasn’t going to recruit Fury until Project Insight was done.

Romanov wasn’t even on any recruitment lists Jasper knew about. Coulson would never go for it. Hill was loyal to Fury. One of the World Security Council, perhaps?

No, they wouldn’t be running scenarios with Rumlow and his team. It had to be someone with some sort of combat, strategic, or tactical ability. The problem with that idea was there were too many people in SHIELD who had one or more than one of those abilities, and most of them, while they’d be welcome in HYDRA, wouldn’t cause this much shock. Most of the rest would never join.

Jasper turned toward the gym. Well, he wasn’t going to find out by wondering.

The door was open, but while he could hear the STRIKE team moving around- it sounded like they were working on close combat scenarios- he couldn’t see any of them. He entered the room- and stopped dead in shock. No. It couldn’t be.

“Am I seeing things?” Jasper only realized he was speaking out loud when several STRIKE members looked over at him. 

Captain Rogers grinned ruefully. “That seems to be the question of the day,” he said.

“The week,” Agent Rumlow shot back.

Captain Rogers nodded. “Good point,” he said. “Agent Sitwell, good to see you.”

“No, seriously,” he said. “Someone tell me I’m not seeing things,” Jasper demanded.

“Well, as long as you’re seeing Captain Rogers, then no, you’re not seeing things,” Agent Rollins replied.

Jasper sat down. “How?” he demanded. He stared straight at Rogers. “You’re Captain America. No one would ever even think…”

“Secretary Pierce did,” Rogers said as he sat down next to Jasper. “And… it’s a new world,” he added with a sigh. “I’ve got to change with it.”

Jasper sat back and studied Rogers. It was all but impossible… but it was real. Slowly, he began to smirk. “Now I know anything could happen,” he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I need ideas, folks. I'm running out!


	4. Steve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized yesterday that I had neglected to give the POV of someone very, very important. Someone who would have definite opinions on Captain America joining HYDRA. Someone whose POV of the decision I probably could have included in Surprise Gifts, but felt it was better not to. This is not nearly as funny as any of the other chapters. (In fact, I almost cut out the last couple of lines, they hurt to write so much.)

Steve entered his apartment and dropped his portfolio bag on the floor. For once, he couldn’t summon the will to put it where it belonged, or even take his shield out. He sat down on his armchair and, moving on automatic, turned on the lamp.

Pierce had warned him that he had people watching his apartment, and some of them weren’t HYDRA, so he had to be careful not to say anything.

For a moment, his stomach tightened, and he worried that he was going to throw up for the first time since 1943. He swallowed, and instead, turned to look at a line of four photographs in small frames on his bookshelf. The first, a group photo, caught his eye. It was him, Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and the Howling Commandos, all clustered around a burnt out tank. Steve could remember that raid like yesterday. The commandos had Stark along because they were testing some new explosives, and Peggy had come for once as well, mostly to help keep everyone in line for the newsmen who were shadowing them.

They’d come across the HYDRA patrol almost by accident, and Dernier had decided to use the tank to test the explosives on.

The picture showed the results. 

Steve smiled briefly before looking at the second, a picture of Peggy alone. Steve’s smile faded. There was no way he could tell her about SHIELD and HYDRA. He suspected that she’d approve of what he was trying to do, though. He sighed. He wondered what would happen if he did tell her what had become of her life’s work. He was afraid the news would be too much for her, if he told her.

No, better if she didn’t know. 

The third picture was a copy of the only photograph he had of his mom and dad. It was taken just before his father left for Europe in 1918, and his mom was only just pregnant with him.

“Hope you’re both proud of me,” he said quietly.

Finally, he looked at the last photograph. It was him and Bucky, taken in 1941, just three days before Pearl Harbor was bombed. Both of them were smiling, not just for the camera, but for the photographer. It had been Becca, Bucky’s younger sister, who had taken the photo. Her big brothers, she called them, which had made Steve so happy at the time.

Now, it was just one more family that was gone. And Bucky…

Not even five years later, Bucky died trying to take down the same organization Steve had just joined. For the very first time, Steve was glad Bucky wasn’t here to share all this century had to offer.

Steve sighed and buried his head in his hands. _Buck, I’m really glad you’re not here. I’m glad you won’t ever know about this. I’m so, so, sorry. But there isn’t any way else to stop them. If you’re watching me from heaven, please, please forgive me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do feel for Steve, here. But his POV is important, and, yeah, he wouldn’t be celebrating right now.


	5. Zola

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I couldn’t resist.

In the forty years since he died, Dr. Armin Zola had kept HYDRA flourishing within SHIELD. He’d become the advisor to whoever was the leader. He’d kept them on track to eventually win. 

He was a computer. There were times when he couldn’t calculate what would happen, nothing could be predicted 100% of the time. But he knew that, and he’d always planned for the unknowns. 

This allowed him to roll with it and change plans as needed. This got HYDRA to the point that they were only a year away from their ultimate triumph. 

He was nearly finished with the algorithm when Alexander Pierce came to visit him. 

“Dr. Zola,” Pierce said. He was smiling. “I have some incredible news.”

Zola allowed his screen to come up and a representation of his face appeared on it. It made the humans better to have something to look at. “Secretary Pierce,” he said. “Is it going to change Project Insight?” he asked.

“Only in that you’ll have to figure out how to get a name that probably is firmly at the top of the list off of it,” Pierce said.

Zola would have sighed had he been human. “The algorithm in not perfected,” he said. “Not yet. Who is it that has joined HYDRA?”

Pierce grinned. “Captain Steve Rogers,” he said.

Everything went dark, and his mind was caught in an endless loop of that one name.

When he felt the computer that was his brain moving again, when he could think again, he brought up the lights. Pierce was there, as were two technicians. “What did you do?” Zola demanded. “Why did you turn the power off?”

Pierce flattened a smile. He gestured and told the technicians to leave. Once they were gone, he turned back to Zola. “I didn’t,” he said. “Your CPU crashed, Dr. Zola. In essence, you fainted.”

Zola frowned. “Why?” he asked. Even as he asked, the memory replayed itself. “No, how did Rogers decide to join HYDRA? He’s against everything HYDRA stands for!”

“I told him we had changed,” Pierce said. “He doesn’t know about you, and every single member of HYDRA today is my age or younger. And honestly, we can still use him.”

“Are you sure you want him off the list?” Zola asked.

Pierce nodded. “If he rebels against Insight too much, we can always kill him after it goes live,” he said. “Or there’s always the option of the chair. But I have plans for him, plans that may leave him loyal to us without the chair. And it may solve the problems we’ve been having with the Asset.”

Zola resolutely didn’t think about it. If he did, he was afraid he’d crash again. But he didn’t like it. It just didn’t seem possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason, I had the image of Zola and his huge computer brain just crashing as soon as he heard that Steve had joined HYDRA. So of course I had to write it.


	6. The Winter Soldier/Bucky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, he needs to have his say, after all. It’s only his best friend/love we’re talking about.

He slowly became aware that he was warming up. He was coming out of the cryofreeze once more. For once, he wasn’t already in the chair. For once? Why would he know something was “for once”?

He opened his eyes. His handler was standing over him. Once his handler saw he was looking, he smiled. “Good, you’re aware.”

He blinked, the most he could do this soon out of cryo. 

“You have a different mission this time. You will be training with our people, and preparing to work as a team. In a few weeks, you will get to know someone who you will work with in the field.”

He blinked again. His handler smiled. “And when you are not in the field, you will be on this base, or others, as needed. I suspect your field partner will be spending a lot of time with you.”

His handler nodded once. “There will be no wipes, Soldier,” he said.

This was enough for him to open his mouth. “I do… I don’t understand,” he managed to say.

His handler smiled. “We have procured a reward for you, Soldier. You must be able to enjoy it.”

He didn’t understand. This was not how things had been for so long. (How long? How did he know things were changing?) 

“Reward?” He asked, his voice still hoarse but growing stronger.

“Yes, Sergeant, you’ll understand in a few weeks. For now, train, and it will be explained in time.”

“Yes sir,” the Asset (Sergeant? Sergeant of what?) replied.

His handler smirked.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Bucky didn’t understand why they were letting him remember, but he wasn’t going to give away the fact that he knew things weren’t right, so he stepped up to the sparring mats.

His opponent looked strong, and from the way he moved, he was fast too. There was something very, very familiar about his eyes. Bucky knew he’d seen those eyes before.

And his voice was muffled by the mask, but it was familiar. Bucky didn’t have time to think about it as he and the other man sparred. It became very clear, very fast that the other man was enhanced in some way. 

Had HYDRA developed another version of the serum, and this man was a test recipient?

Soon, Bucky was going at his full speed, and the other man was easily keeping up. Bucky smiled behind his mask. This was, no matter what the point of this, very satisfying. He hadn’t had an equal in far too long.

He knocked his opponent on the head as his opponent kicked him in the side. They both hit the ground hard. Bucky’s mask fell off, and he saw his opponent’s mask on the ground in front of his still form.

Bucky approached him and reached down. A second later, he was flat on his back, and his opponent had his hand against Bucky’s throat. Bucky had grabbed his opponent by his throat as well. A tie. And then Bucky saw who he had been fighting. He knew his opponent, better than he knew himself sometimes.

He saw recognition dawn in those familiar blue eyes as well. “Bucky?”

“Steve?” 

Bucky’s world spun, and he was barely aware of what he was saying. Nothing made sense until Steve pulled him into a hug. 

He still didn’t understand, but he didn’t care. Steve was here, Steve was alive. Nothing else mattered right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to show how we went from movie-like Winter Soldier to the man Steve sparred with in chapter 4 of Surprise Gifts. Because HYDRA wouldn’t want Steve to realize how much they had tortured Bucky, so they needed to let him recover, at least somewhat.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm open to suggestions for someone to react to the news. I'm already planning on Sitwell being one of the people whose reactions we see, but anyone else, feel free to recommend. I can't promise I'll pick them, and I can't promise I'll get to them in any timely fashion, but I'll try.
> 
> I'm thinking I might need to add von Strucker to the list, but I've not got a good handle on his character just yet.


End file.
